K-Class Destroyer ordered from Hawthorn
Leslie at Hebburn, Newcastle under the 1937 Programme in March 1937 and laid down on 26th
August 1937 .She was launched on 25th October 1938 as the first RN warship to carry this name which
commemorates Admiral Sir John Kelly who died in 1936. Build was completed on 23rd August 1939
and the ship commissioned under the command of Captain Lord Louis Mountbatten who was the
Senior Officer of the 5th Destroyer Flotilla comprised of all destroyers of this Class. Several books have
been written about the service of this ship which had much publicity before her loss but had few
successes.

B a t t l e H o n o u r s

ATLANTIC 1939 - NORWAY 1940 - CRETE
1941 - MEDITERRANEAN
1941

H e r a l d i c D a t a

Badge: On a Field per
fess wavy Blue and White, a tower White
supported